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While the rest of us are decongesting our sinuses with cough medicine, wellness mavens Hemsley & Hemsley are tying bundles of eucalyptus to their shower heads. Why didn’t we think of that?
“Aromas such as cloves, camphor, cinnamon, eucalyptus and marjoram, with pungent bitter tastes all help to pacify and bring equilibrium to the Kapha dosha”, Jasmine explains to her 26k followers.
“When imbalanced, Earthy Kapha types (anyone who has more Kapha in their constitution than Vata and Pitta) can feel lethargic, stubborn and lazy and tend to gain weight easily. When balanced, they are grounded, loving, reliable team players, affectionate, compassionate and enjoy sound sleep. What better excuse to wake up to a beautifully invigorating eucalyptus plant in your shower?”
What are you waiting for… get down to your local florist. The plant is especially popular for wedding flowers, so shouldn’t be too hard to hunt down!
We know what your thinking… Why not just slather ourselves in Vicks like everyone else? The effective cough suppressant and topical analgesic is packed full of eucalyptus anyway and all you have to do is rub the stuff on your chest. Is there really any need to tie a plant to a shower head?
According to DHP, “Eucalyptus essential oil is steam-extracted so keeping a few branches in a steamy shower activates the plant’s beneficial properties. It’s especially helpful when used to treat the respiratory symptoms of the cold and flu”.
Other benefits include:
Antibacterial and analgesic properties
Expectorant (pushes out phlegm)
Antiparasitic (works well against head lice)
Fights inflammation
Invigorating and relaxing scent
All you have to do is tie the ends of two or three branches together with some string. Use another piece to secure the bunch onto your shower head. Hang it downwards and as close to the wall as you can. The leaves can tolerate some water but they’ll quickly get mouldy if they’re constantly wet. Turn your tap to hot and hop in! Replace the eucalyptus every week.
Why stop there! We can’t wait to see how this one works itself into our sweat routine from post workout shower rituals to sweat bands? We hear this wonder plant is a hit with brides too…
“I had eucalyptus in my floral bridal crown, the scent was really calming for me and all the bridesmaids noticed it in their own crowns too!”, replied one of Melissa’s followers.
We tried it out for ourselves. Thankfully we were residing in the Portuguese spa town of Monchique at the time where there is no shortage of eucalyptus trees.
The gathering, tying, rigging and positioning of the bundle was a slight palaver (tip: you want the eucalyptus to hang down along your shower wall, behind the stream of water, not in front of it). And we’re not quite sure the water pressure in the sleepy valley did it justice. But once we got the shower running, we couldn’t deny the decongesting benefits. Not only does it make your shower smell like a spa, it’s also a great way to bring a touch of nature indoors.
The only downside? Fresh eucalyptus can be poisonous to pets so if you own a four legged friend, it’s best to give this one a miss!
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